I came very close to bumping Sacramento into the top spot in the rankings this week. I got a chance to see them play in person Saturday night in Wilmington and was very impressed with the Republic defense.

They get in the way of a lot of passes and close down passing lanes effectively, making life difficult for opposing offenses. This was the case at least on Saturday. Let’s call them 1B this week.

Orlando’s Kevin Molino extends his goals-scored (19) and points lead with three goals and two assists in a 7-0 route of Dayton on Sunday. Molino leads Richmond’s Matthew Delicate 47 to 29 in points.

The one spot the No. 5 through No. 8 seeds don’t want to go in the first round of the USL Pro playoffs is Sacramento. So No. 7 looks like the stay-away zone. Right now, that’s Harrisburg, by tiebreaker.

Sure, Orlando is the only unbeaten club at home. But those big crowds in Sacramento and the way they are playing football right now is a tough combination to face.

There are some very interesting matches set for the final week, featuring Orlando at Wilmington, Harrisburg at Charleston, Richmond at Orlando, LA at Sacramento and Wilmington at Rochester.

In this case, the schedule-maker did a quality job.

*** Offer your input in the comment section below or on Twitter at @GradySportsNC.

(Through matches of September 1)

1. Record: 18-4-4 – 58 points (Last week – 1)

The Lions record is 5-3 over their last eight outings, including a 3-1 loss in Wilmington last week. They wrap up against Wilmington and Richmond.

2. Record: 16-6-4 – 52 points (Last week – 3)

Make it nine in a row without a loss for the Republic, with a 3-1 win over the Battery and a draw in Wilmington.

3. Record: 14-7-5 – 47 points (Last week – 4)

The Galaxy II are 3-0-1 over their last four. Their final regular-season match is at Sacramento on Saturday.

4. Record: 13-2-11 – 50 points (Last week – 2)

The Kickers are showing some kinks in the armor. Their previous three matches resulted in a draw with Dayton, a loss to Orlando and a draw in Orange County.

5. Record: 10-9-8 – 38 points (Last week – 5)

The Battery fall in Sacramento but rebound with a home rout of the Riverhounds, where they clinched a postseason berth.

6. Record: 8-7-10 – 34 points (Last week – 9)

In matches against the league’s top two clubs, the Hammerheads get back in the race with a 3-1 win over Orlando and 0-0 draw with Sacramento.

7. Record: 9-10-8 – 35 points (Last week – 8)

The Rhinos finally mark in the win column in August, with a 4-1 pounding of Harrisburg. The home match Sunday against Wilmington, to close out the slate, could prove to be the play-in game for Rochester.

8. Record: 9-10-7 – 34 points (Last week – 6)

The City Islanders’ defense opened up to allow four Rochester goals on Saturday. They’ll need points in either Charleston or Charlotte this week to ensure they’re in.

9. Record: 9-14-4 – 31 points (Last week – 7)

The Eagles drop a close one to the Riverhounds and then draw with the Impact Reserves. They will close out with visit from Harrisburg on Saturday.

10. Record: 9-13-5 – 32 points (Last week – 11)

The consistent theme for the Riverhounds has been inconsistency. Last week, it was a 1-0 win in Charlotte followed by a 4-nil loss in Charleston the next day.

11. Record: 9-13-5 – 30 points (Last week – 10)

United had a week off to prepare to close out the season in Pittsburgh Saturday night. The playoffs are out of reach, with the two-point deduction looming.

12. Record: 8-13-5 – 29 points (Last week – 12)

After five consecutive setbacks, the Energy took a week off. Some tough math is still in play, with final matches at Sacramento and at Orange County.

13. Record: 9-17-1 – 28 points (Last week – 13)

The record is 1-9-1 for the Blues over their last 11 and finally they post a first draw, in a 1-1 final against visiting Richmond.

14. Record: 6-17-4 – 22 points (Last week – 14)

Ouucch! Orlando took out some frustration on the Dutch Lions, to the tune of a 7-0 final.

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About This Blog

I am Vince Nairn, coming to the StarNews after spending the first 24 years of my life in Ohio. I interned at the StarNews in 2010 and enjoyed a summer covering rugby, surfing, triathlons: The whole package. I grew up a few miles west of Cleveland and graduated from Ohio University (the Bobcats, not the Buckeyes) in 2011. I am here to be your point man for all the community sports in the Wilmington area. Email me at Vince.Nairn@starnewsonline.com.

Tom Grady has been the StarNews Hammerheads beat writer since the 2002 USL season. He’s followed the Second Division club through two appearances in the national championship game and the 2003 title.

Kick your way back here often for updates on Wilmington’s professional soccer team.